Miner&#39;s lamp



`Dec. 28, 1926.

F. R. BELT MINER'S LAMP Fi-led May 2,

Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

urTEn STATES A 1,612,694 PATENT OFFICE.

FRED R. BELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FRED R. IBIEIL'I` COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MINERS LAMP.

Application led May 2,

More particularly my invention relates to a miners lamp of the type wherein acetylene gas is generated by the controlled application of water to calcium carbide.

Lamps of the class described generally comprise a water chamber, a carbide chamber, a valve controlled passageway connecting the carbide chamber with the water chamber, and a pasageway connecting the carbide chamber with a. suitable burner carried by the lamp.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to manufacture the major portion of a miners lamp from sheet metal, which is spun or pressed to give the desired form to the several parts of the lamp. The parts so formed are generally brazed or soldered to nach other, and all lugs or the like are either soldered directly to the outer surface of the lamp or held in apertures formed in the walls of the lamp, the `ioints being afterwards soldered to prevent leakage of gas from the lamp.

My invent-ion contemplates a miners lamp constructed chiefly of die castings. In a lamp so constructed, it is not necessary to braze or solder numerous joints, and all lugs or the like can be formed integral with the castings which enclose the several chambers.

The main object of my invention is to provide a miners acetylene lamp of improved construction.

Other and more specific objects of my invention are to provide a lamp of the class described which has improved valve means for cont-rolling the application of the water to the calcium carbide; which has an improved cap for closing the lling opening of the water chamber; which has improved means for sec i the reflector to the lamp; which has improved means for preventing slaked c rbide from passing to the burner; and which has improved means for holding the llurner.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent as the detail description progresses, reference being had to the accomfing drawing, wherein- 1 a central longitudinal section taxen through my improved miners lamp.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved miners lamp.

Y" 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of 1923. Serial No. 636,110.l

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 1s a perspective View of valve means which form a part of my improved miners lamp, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form of valve having the same characteristics as those attending the valve shown lin In the drawing, the reference characters 10 and 11 designate the water chamber and the carbide chamber respectively of my improved miners lamp. The water chamber 10 is contained within a die casting 12 having a substantially cylindrical wall 13 and a bottom wall 14 formed integrally with the cylindrical wall 13. A cover 15 is seated upon an annular shoulder 16 formed in the cylindrical wall 13 and is rigidly secured in place by means of a plurality of screws 17, a gasket 18 being interposed between the cylindrical wall 13 and the cover 15. Formed integrally with the cylindrical wall 13 and the bottom wall 14 and extending downwardly therefrom is an annular flange 13 having an internal thread 20 adapted to receive the external thread 21 of a die casting 22 which encloses the Acarbid-e chamber 11. rEhe die casting 22 is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 23 to provide means whereby a gasket 24 may be held between the die casting 12 and the die casting 22 to prevent a leakage of acetylene gas from the carbide chamber 11.

Disposed within the water chamber 10 is a tube 25 having its upper end encircling a boss 26 formed on the inner surface of the cover 15, and its lower end seated in a circular depression 27 formed in the bottom wall 14 of the die casting 12. The tube 25 is provided at its upper end with a vent opening 28 and at its lower end with an aperture 29 which permits water to 110W from the water chamber 10 to the interior of the tube and then into a water tube 30 rigidly secured in a boss 31 formed integrally with the bottom wall 14. The water `tube 30 is disposed concentrically with respect to the tube 25. It will be noted that the upper end ofthe water tube 30 is threaded or knurled as at 32. This is to facilitate the manufacture of the lamp as the water tube 30 is preferably placed in the mold in which the die casting 12 is formed, the molten metal being permitted to engage the threaded lll) or knurled portion 32 oit the water tube to rigidly secure the water tube to the die castlng.

The means for controlling the application of water to the calcium carbide placed in the carbide chamber' 11 comprises a valve 33 adapted to seat against the lower end of the water tube 30. The valve 33 is provided with a valve stem 34, having an axis of rotation coincident with the axes of the tube 25 and the water tube 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the lower end oitl the valve stem 34 is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 35 against which the valve rests, the reduced portion ot' the valve stein tern'iinating at the outer side of the valve and being riveted over as at 36 to rigidly secure the valve to the valve stem. The upwardly extending end of the valve stem terminates in a portion 38 of enlarged diameter, which is threaded into the cover 15, the outer end of the valve stem having a. rosette 39 formed thereon adapted to be engaged by a rosetteI 40 formed upon a valve lever 41. lt will be readily understood that the valve lever 41 may be secured in a plurality ot adjusted positions relative to the valve stem 34, the means for so 'ecuring the valve lever to the valve stem comprising` the rosettes 39 and 40, and a screw 42 passing through the valve lever 41 and threaded into the valve stem 34. The valve 33 may be moved toward and away from its seat .upon the lower end of the water tube 30 by rotating the valve stem 34, the amount of displacement of the valve 33 relative to the water tube 30 from any given angular' displacement of the valve stem being determined by the lead of the threads formed upon the enlarged portion 38 ot the valve stem 34.

As shown in Fig. 2, I provide a pair of stops 44 and 45 which are arranged to lie in the path of the valve lever 41 and to thus limit the angular displacement of the valve stem 34. The mechanism is'preferably so adjusted that when the valve lever 41 is in engagement with the stop 44, the valve 33 vill be seated against the lower end ot the water tube 30 to prevent the 'flow o1c water from the water tube to the carbid-e contained within the carbide chamberll. By

'anO'ularlv disolacino the valve stem 34 in a a t l :D

clockwise direction (Fig. 2) the valve may be moved away 'from its seat upon the water tube 3() a distance which will permit the desired flow of water to the Acarbide in the carbide chamber. The u'ia-Xiiruun flow ot water is of, course determined by the stop 45. To hold the valve in an adjusted position relative to the water tube30 I h ave provided Va plurality of lugs 46 formed upon the upper surface ot the cover 15 and arranged concentrioally with respect to the'aXis ot rotation of the valve stem 34. The valve lever 41 is somewhat flexible and is Vprovided with a bead 47 which is adapted to engage the lugs 46. 1t is apparent that the valve lever Y 41 will yieldingly hold itself in any adjusted position relative to the lugs 46.

Referring now to Figs. l and 5, it will be noted that the valve 33 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed lugs 50 which are arranged to engage or to lie in close proximity to the outer surface of the water tube 30. The lugs 50 are adapted to agitate any slaked carbide which may gather around the lower end of the water tube 30 or the valve The lugs 50 will of course tend to wipe clean the outer surface or' the lower end ot the water tube 30 when the valve 33 is rotated. rlhe main body portion ot' the valve 33 is also adapted to agitate carbide surrounding the valve, as it is provided with two l'lattened surfaces 51, against which the slalred carbide may collect and from which the carbide will be displaced when the valve is rotated. In Fig. 6 l have shown a valve 33L which may be substituted for the valve 33 as it too is adapted to seat against the lower end of the water tube 30. The valve 33"L is provided with three symmetrically arranged lugs 50a which resemble and have the functions of the lugs 50 of the valve 33` In some instances it may be advantageous to employ the valve 33"L in place of the valve 33.

The acetylene gas which is generated in the carbide chamber 11 is led to a burner 53 by way of a passageway 55 molded in the die casting 12. The burner 53 is seated in a burner holder 54 which is threaded into the wall of the outer end of the passageway 55. rlhe burner 53 is seated at the inner end of a central aperture 56 formed in the burner holder 54, the central aperture 56 being ot substantially the same diameter as the burner 53 and forming an open chamber directly in front of the burner. rheretore, any flame attending the burner will lie wholly or partly within the aperture `56 and will be protected from air currents which tend to eX- ting h it. 'lucid-entally.I l provide the outer tace ot' theburner helder 54 with a pair of dian'ietrically disposed slots 58 which are adapted to beengaged by a coin or a suitabletool when the burner holder is to be removed from the lamp to permit replace ment olE the burnenfor cleaning of the lamp.

.At this point Vin the description it .is well to point out that the burner holder 54 is adapted to secure a reflector' 66 to the lamp, the burner holder 54 beingprovided 'withan annular `flange 61 which. engages the mar-- ginal edges ot' an'aperture 'formed in the reflector, and which holds the reflector firmly against a boss 63 cast integral. with the die casting` 12. In addition to this means for securing the rellector to the lamp l llnd it advantageous to provide a pair el' braves I llll) sil) ti i) ly secured to one ot a pair ot lugs G 'formed integral with the cylindrical wall 13, and the other end thereoiC adapted to engage a beaded edge 66 formed upon the outer edge oi the reflector 60.

rEhe braces 6i are secured to the lugs 65 by screws 67. he reflector engaging ends otl the braces Gel normally make angles with the ends secured to the lamp more obtuse than those shown in 2 so that they must be sprung outwardly when the reflector is placed between them. This construction permits the braces to hold the reflector securely in place whenever the burner holder is removed tor the reafons given above.

The aforementioned passageway which is adapted to connect the burner with the carbide. chamber 11, extends downwardly iirom the burner to the carbide chamber, but does not open directly into the carbide compartment oi the chamber7 as an apcrtured baille plate 69 is arranged transversely ot the carbide chamber 11, the baille plate being spaced a comparatively small distance from the bottom wall 14 ot the water chamber 10. lt will be noted that the baille plate 69 is positioned against the bottom edge ot the downwardly extending wall 70 formed integral with the bottom wall 14, and that the downwardly extending wall 70 is arranged to divide into two parts that portion ot the carbide chamber 11 which lies between the bottom wall 14 and the battle plate 69 (Fig. The passageway opens into one ot the compartments thus formed by the wall 7 07 as indicated' at 717 the other conipartment7 which is designated by the reference character 72, being connected to the carbide compartment 73 of the carbide chamber by means of the apertures 7 el of the baiile plate 69. A plurality of grooves 75 in the under surface of the wall 7() connect the compartment 72 with the compartment 71. The baille plate 69 is rigidly secured to a sleeve 7 6 which is in turn rotatably and slidably ournaled upon the downwardly eX- tending lug 31 formed integral with the bottom wall 14 of the die castingl 12. rl`he sleeve 76 is Slotted to provide a plurality ot spring members 77 (Fig. 3) which are adapted to irictionally engage the lug 31 to hold the battle plate 69 in a position wherein it rests against the bottom suriace of the wall 70. as shown in Fig. 1.

lt will be readily understood that the acetylene gas generated from the calcium carlfide, which may be placed in the carbide compartment 7 3 of the carbide chamber 117 will il-ow through the apertures 74 of the bathe plate 69 into the compartment 72, which may be termed a gas chamber. From the gas chamber or compartment 72 the gas willitlow through the grooves 7 5 in the wall 70 to the compartment 71. The gas will then of course low through the passageway to the burner 53. rllhe advantage of this construction is apparent. The baille plate 69 and the wall 7 O cooperate to prevent the` passag-e of particles of carbide tothe burner 53, and thus prevent the aperture in the burner i'rom becoming choked or clogged with carbide. v

The apertures 74 in the batlle plate 69 are preferably spacedequal distances from the rotary axis of the valve `stem 34 so that they may be engaged in turn by a button 8O cast on'the undersurtace ot the wall 70. W hen the slaked carbide is being removed irom the carbide chamber, the die casting 22 having been unscrewed from the die casting 12, the operator may rotate the baille plate 69 a iew times to dislodge the slaked carbide adjacent the outer edge of the baille plate and to permit the button 8O to enter the several .apertures 74, thus driving ont any carbide which has lodged in the apertures.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, water may be supplied to the water chamber 10 through a iilling opening 81 formed in the cover 15. A. cap 82 is provided for the iilling opening 81, the cap being pivotally secured by means of a pin 83 to a pair oil lugs 8i cast integral with the cover 15. A disk 85, detachably secured in the cap 82 and forming a bottom wall therefor, has its edge slotted as at 86. 'lhe top wall of the cap is provided with a vent opening 87. A substantially cylindrical chamber 88 formed in the cap 82 and having its aXis coincident with the axis of the vent opening 87 accommodates a metallic ball 89 having a diameter somewhat less than the diameter ot the chamber. The cylindrical surface oi` the chamber 88 comprises a wall 9() cast integral with the top wall of the cap and having a plurality ot grooves 91, which, together with the grooves 86 in the disk 85, permit the vent opening 87 to admit air to the water chamber 10 whenever water is being withdrawn from the water chamber for application to the calcium carbide. However, it' a comparatively large quantity of water should be inadvertently fed to the calcium carbide. and if the comparatively large quantity of acetylene gas then generated should attempt to force its way out of the carbide chamber by passing through the water tube 30, the apertures 28 and 29 in the tube 25.y and then through the apertures 86 and 91 associated with the cap, the gas could not escape through the vent opening 87. as the gas would raise the ball 89 into a position wherein it seated itseli' in the vent 87. This construction also prevents the gas :troni loro ing out a spray ot' water through the vent opening.

I have provided means whereby the lamp may be detachably secured to the shield which is usually aiiixed to the minerls cap, the means comprising a hook 93 having one lOl) fei-

end thereof rigidly secured in a'lug 94 cast integral with the die casting 12. rlhe portion of the hook 93 which passes through the lug 94 is substantially rectangular in cross section and is received in an aperture of like cross section, the aperture being formed in the lug during the die casting operation. As shown in Fig. 1, one end of the hook is bent to lie against the lug, and serves to rigidly secure the hook to the lug.

The die castings 12 and 22 are each preferably provided with a plurality of ribs or fins 100 and 101 respectively, which are adapted to radiate the heat flowing into the castings from the flame attending the burner. This construction is not analogous to the ribs which are usually struck into the walls of lamps manufactured mainly from sheet metal, as in the latter instance the radiating surface of the lamp is not materially increased.

In the operation of the device, a suitabll quant-ity of calcium carbide is placed in the carbide chamber 11 and the water chamber l() is filled with water. The valve is then secured in an adjusted position relative to the water tube 30 by means of the valve lever 41. As soon as the water comes in contact with the calcium carbide, acetylene gas is generated which flows through the apertures 74 of the baffle plate 69, the grooves 75 of the wall 70 and through the passage 55 to the burner 53, where the gas may be ignited by means of the pyrophoric igniter 102.

It will be readily understood that should the valve 33 become worn and fail to seat upon the lower end of the water tube 30 when the valve lever 41 is in engagement with the stop 44, the operator may easily readjust the mechanism by removing the screw 42 and angularly displacing the valve lever -11 relative to the valve stem 34. After the proper position of the valve lever 41 relative to the valve stem 34 has been determined, th-e valve lever 41 may again be rigidly secured to the valve stem by means of the screw.

I am aware that'changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and without sacrificing the advantages of the invention and I reserve the-right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

'I claim:

1. ln a lamp ofthe class described, a water chamber, a carbide chamber, a cylindrical tube having oneA end connected with the water-chamber and the other end Vopening into the carbide chamber, a valveseating against the last mentioned end of the tube, and a plurality of spaced means carried by lthe valve and engaging the outer cylindrical surface of the tube for dislodging slaked carbide adhering to the tube.

2. In a lamp of the class described, a water chamber, a carbide chamber, a cylindrical tube having one end connected with the water chamber and the other end opening into the carbide chamber, a valve seating against the last mentioned end of the tube and having a lug disposed to engage the outer cylindrical surface of the tube, and means for rotating the valve.

3. 1n a lamp of the class described, a water chamber, a carbide chamber, a passageway between the water chamber and the carbide chamber', a valve for controlling the passageway, a valve lever, the valve and lever having intel-engaging rosettes formed thereon, and means holding said rosettes in engagement, said means permitting adjustment of said lever in respect to said valve.

4. In a lamp of the class described, a carbide chamber, a passage communicating with the carbide chamber, an apertured revoluble plate disposed in the carbide chamber to prevent carbide from entering the passageway, and means adapted to enter and clean the aperture in the plate wien the plate is revolved.

5. In a lamp of the class described, a carbide chamber, a baffle plate arranged transversely of the carbide chamber and adjacent the top thereof, a wall projecting downwardly from the top of said chamber and having its bottom edOe contacting with said bafiie plate, said baffle plate having an aperture therein arranged on one side of said wall, a burner having a passageway opening into said carbide chamber on the opposite side of said wall from said aperture and said wall having an opening extending therethrough whereby gas may pass from said chamber through the aperture in said plate, through said wall and said passageway.

6. In a lamp of the class described the combination with a carbide chamber comprising a substantially cylindrical casing of a water chamber comprising a side wall, a bottom wall and an annular flange formed in one piece of material, said flange making threaded engagement with the cylindrical casing of the carbide chamber, a wall depending from said bottom wall, said depending wall forming one side lof a passage'communicating with the carbide chamber, and having an opening therein forming a gas outlet, and a baffle plate disposed beneath said depending wall and co-operating therewith to form said passage.

7. In a lamp of the class described, a carbide chamber, va -water chamber secured thereto and comprising a side wall, a bottom wall and a wall depending from said bottom wall, all formed of one piece of material, a boss on said bottom wall and extending into said carbide ohalnber and an apertured plate secured on said boss and cooperating with said depending Wall to forni a passageway for gas from said carbide chamber.

S. In a lamp of the class described, a carbide chamber, a Water chamber, a Wall separating said chambers, a baille plate in said carbide chamber and secured in spaced relation from said Wall, said baille plate closing said carbide chamber, and a Wall depending troni said iirst named Wall and co-operating with said bale plate to forin'a passage, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a lamp of the class described, a carbide chamber, a Water chamber, a Wall separating said chambers, a battle plate in said carbide chamber and secured in spaced relation from said Wall, and a Wall depending from said first named Wall and n30-operating' 20 for the passage of gas from said carbide chamber and said depending Wall being provided with apertures communicating with a burner, for the purpose set forth.

l0. A ininers acetylene lamp having a cast metal chamber provided with an exten nal integral lug having an upright opening extending through the top and bottoni thereof, and a replaceable supporting hook having a shank detachably extending through the opening in the lug, the shank and the opening in thelug having non-circular mutually engaging Wall portions to prevent rotation of lthe shank, and displaceable means to hold the shank in the lug.

FRED R. BELT. 

